Fbi Probing Complaints About Paint Plant

EDGEWATER — FBI agents continued their investigation Thursday at the Coronado Paint Co. plant in response to complaints of improper transportation, disposal or storage of hazardous materials.

Special agents were questioning company officials about compliance with federal laws regarding hazardous waste and reviewing records and reports at the plant, 308 Old County Road.

Company officials said they were surprised when about a dozen FBI and Environmental Protection Agency agents served search warrants Wednesday and began collecting water samples, scraping pallets and taking pigment from bags. Company president Chris Bosset said the federal agency apparently had received a complaint that in the past Coronado Paint possibly had dumped hazardous waste at the Tomoka Landfill on Tomoka Farms Road.

''We haven't used the landfill for about two years,'' Bosset said. ''But I suspect an unhappy employee who was fired last year has made allegations against us.

''We certainly will be cleared,'' he said. ''We don't handle toxic waste but we do have hazardous materials -- substances that are flammable, like mineral spirits used in making oil-based paint. We probably have 4,000 gallons of that on hand at all times and it's about 70 percent of our total of hazardous materials.'

Bosset said the EPA and the state Department of Environmental Regulation inspect the Edgewater plant and grounds on a regular basis.

Special Agent George Wisnovsky, who works in the FBI's Jacksonville office, said he could not comment on the origin of the complaint or the specifics of the probe.

''All I can say is we are looking for potential violation of federal statutes dealing with treatment, storage or disposal of hazardous materials,'' Wisnovsky said. An investigation of this type generally takes several months, he added.

No charges have been filed against anyone, said Wisnovsky. Anyone convicted of violating the requirements for transportation and treatment of hazardous materials could be fined up to $50,000 for each day of the violation, he said.